Ticket-case.



jmy632142,44.

Patnted not.' s, |a99.` L. w. T. Lonez.

TICKETOASE.

, (Application tiled Dec. 2, 1898.)

(No Model.)

Lhekon W. T.Lo dige, ln van rar.

'me Nonnvls ven-.us co., nom-urna., wumuumu, u. cA

UNITED y STATES PATENT FFICE.

LITTLETON W. T. LODGE, OF HAMILTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF rONE-HALF TO JACOB SOHOLLENBERGER, OF BUTLER COUNTY, OHIO. i

TICKET-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 634,244, dated October 3, 1899.

Application filed December 2, 1898. Serial No. 698,098. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom, it may concern: Beit known that I, LITTLETON W. T.r LODGE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hamilton, in the county of Butler and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ticket-Cases, of whicl the following is a specification. My invention relates to ticket-cases for mileage-tickets; and the objects of my improvement are to provide a case that cannot be opened, that the amount of the unused portion of the ticket contained therein shall remain unknown, when the coupons on the ticket are numbered in such manner that the number of coupons issued cannot be estimated from an exposed portion of the ticket,and that its negotiability by brokers or others maybe prevented. These objects are attained in the following-described manner, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 represents an isometrical view of the case, showing one end of the tubes before the cap is secured thereon and containing a ticket; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of the case, showing the caps formed integral with or permanent-ly brazed on one end of the respective tubes; Fig. 3, a transverse section of the case and ticket therein; Fig. 4, a plan of the ticket with middle portion removed.

In the drawings, 5 represents a tube formed of flexible metal and containing a wide longitudinal slot 6. The metal of tube contiguous to the slot is either quite thin or sharpened to an edge. Asimilar tube 7, formed with a narrow longitudinal slot 8, is capable of being inserted and partially rotated within tube 5. Both tubes are sufficiently flexible to yield and clamp a strip of paper in the annular space 10 between them. Stop 9 is formed on the outer tubeV 5 by the extension of a portion of its end, preferably that portion which includes the slot. Locking-ange 1l is formed perpendicular to the inner tube 7 by turning outwardly a projecting portion of its end, preferably opposite the slot therein. Said ange is arranged to movably engage with that portion of the end of the outer tube not occupied by the stop. Oap'12 incloses the end.' of the outer tube and in contact with the end of the stop thereon in a manner to leave annular space 13 beyond the end of the tube and on each side of the stop for the movement therein of iiange 1l. A similar cap 14 is secured to and incloses the opposite end of the inner tube and is formed with collar 15 on its base to cover and conceal the open end of the outer tube. The outside surface of the inner tube is milled or roughene'd, as shown at 16 in Fig. l. The inside of the outer tube is made smoother. Appropriate numbers and such other data as desired may be placed on the outer tube, as at 17, or on the surface of the caps by stamping or other- Wise.

Ticket 18 (shown in Fig. 4) represents a class of tickets adapted to be used with the case. It consists of a single strip of paperofv less width than the length of the slots in the case that it may be easily pulled outwardly therethrough. Its front end contains the usual agents coupon 19, that is detachable 0n the perforated line 2l. This coupon may contain the ticket-number corresponding to Ithe number of its case, the date of sale, the purchasers signature, and other data. The face of the ticket from the coupon is divided by .transverse parallel lines into uniform spaces or coupons 22. Each coupon represents an integer of the entire ticket, as a mile 0r other arbitrary quantity. The entire ticket is arranged in a series of sections, each sectiouto contain a stated number of coupons. The coupons of each section are numbered consecutively and independently of the others. Every` fifth or other stated coupon is preferably numbered in-a position different from that of the others to facilitate counting them. A ticket containing forty sections of twenty-five coupons each would represent one thousand coupons or miles.

In operation before the tubes that form the case are telescoped together the ticket is formed into a roll and placed in the inner tube with its front end protruding through the slot therein. The open end of said tube is compressed sufficiently to enter the open end of the outer tube, when the tubes may be telescoped and inseparably locked together by the locking-flange becoming seated in annular space 123 by the automatic expansion of the end of the inner tube to its normal position from compression. During the telescoping of the tubes together the slots therein must register with each other that the end of the ticket may protrude through them both. By partially rotating the tubes in opposite directions the protruding end of the ticket may be drawn within the space between' the tubes and protected from injury. A reverse motion ofthe tubes causes the rough surface of the inner tube to push the end of the ticket through the slot in the outer tube and the slots to register with each other. The ticket may now be easily pulled out of the case a little farther than the extent tobe detached, when a rearward or reverse movement of the tubes will draw Within and clamp the excess portion in the space between the tubes, while the protruding portion maybe detached along the sharp edge of the outer tube that borders the slot therein, as shown in Fig. 3.' This operation may be repeated as often as coupons are to be detached. Should the ticket be removed from the case, it cannot be returned through the slots; neither can the case be opened Without injury. The numbers on the protruding end of the ticket will give no indication of the number of coupons remaining in the case.

Having fully described my improvement, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with two tubes each formed with a slot said slot-s being adapted to register the one With the other, a stop formed on one tube, a ilange formed on the other tube and adapted to engage with the stop to prevent the complete rotation of the' tubes in relation to each other, and a cap permanently secured on one end of each tube adapted to close the contiguous end of both tubes, of an automatic locking mechanism arranged to inseparably fasten the tubes t0- gether, said locking mechanism being inaccessible from the outside ofthe locked tubes.

2. The combination with a tube containing a longitudinal slot, a cap secured on one of its ends, an annular groove beyond the end of the tube and within the cap and a stop in the groove of a smaller tube containing a narrow longitudinal slot, a cap secured on one of its ends and a flange on the other of its ends arranged to automatically engage with the groove whereby the smaller' tube may be movably and inseparably locked within said other tube. I

A cylindrical case consisting of two tubes partially rotatable the one within the other, each of said tubes containing a longitudinal slot adapted to register with each other, a cap secured on one end of each tube and arranged'to close the corresponding end of both tubes, and inaccessible locking mechanism arranged to automatically lock the tubes inseparabl y together.

LI'FLETON lV. T. LODGE.

Witnesses:

SHERMAN WILLIAMs, R. S. CARR. 

